Water-elevator.



No. 877,956. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. M. R. SHOURDS.

WATER ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1907.

v f A TTORNE Y5 WIT/V: I INVENTORL MILO R. SHOURDS, OF NORTH POWDER, OREGON.

WATER-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed June 6. 1907- Serial No. 377.573:

' To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, MILO R. SHOURDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at North Powder, in the county of Union and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Water-Elevator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for raising or forcing water from a well, cistern, or other reservoir or source of supply by means of pneumatic ressure, the object being to provide a simp e, self-acting water elevator requiring little attention and few operative parts of the most durable kind.

The accompanying drawing is an elevation of the improved water elevator, certain parts bein shown in section to more. clearly illustrate t e invention.

The entire apparatus is carried in a frame 1, submerged wholly or in part below the surface of the water to be raised. The frame comprises uprights 2 connected by cross beams and such braces as are necessary to make it stable, among which may be noticed a top beam 3, a sup ort 4 near the bottom of the uprights and a orizontal bar 5 between the beam 2 and the support 4 but near the top of the frame.

Within the frame are two independent upright receptacles 6 and 7 adapted to rise and fall alternately as they empty and fill with water. These receptacles may be of any size and shape demanded by the nature of their work and the conditions under which they are placed. Each receptacle 6, 7 is provided with a large opening 8 in its under side for the entrance of water thereinto and guarded by a gravity flap valve 9 to prevent the water in the receptacle escaping through the opening 8. An elbow 10 is connected to the bot tom of each receptacle by a nipple 1 1 and to a check valve 12 in the same manner. A stand pipe 13, through which the water is forced, is

connected to the respective check val? es byflexible pipes 14 and 14 Attached to the bottom of each receptacle are guide rods 15 which slide through holes in the support 4, and a guide rod 16 on the top of each, passing through openings in the horizontal bar 5. By means of these guide rods the receptacles are prevented from moving in other than a vertical direction.

Suitably attached to the frame 1, above let ends of the flexible pipes 19 and 19 the horizontal bar 5, is a three way valve 17 to which are attached three pipes, viz: a compressed air pipe 18, a flexib e air pipe 19 leading to the receptacle 6 and a second flexible air pipe 19 leading to the receptacle 7. Extending upwardly from the top of each receptacle is a short pipe 20 carrying a T connection 21 attached respectively to the out; valve 22 is attached to the opposite end of the T connection on the receptacle 6 and a similar valve 22 to the connection on the receptacle 7. Flexible exhaust air pipes 23 and 23 lead from the respective valves 22 and 22 to a common exhaust pipe 24.

Fixed to the plug 25 of the three way valve 17 is a rocking lever 26, the arms of which extend in opposite directions and at equal distances from the valve plug 25. Near the outer ends of the lever 26 are notches 27 and 27 each of which is adapted to engage with a stud 28 and 28 respectively, one on each guide rod 16 so that as the receptacles rise the three way valve plug will be rocked and the direction of flow of the compressed air changed. The extreme outer ends of the lever 26 are formed into lips 29, 29 to engage at the proper time with the respective spring latches 30 and 30. Secured to each valve 22 and 22 is an arm 31, pivoted each to an arm 32 of equal length mounted to rock in fixed bearings 33 on the top beam 3 of the frame. The movement of the receptacles 6 and 7 raise and lower the valves 22 and 22 which, through the toggle arms 31 and 32, open and close the passage through the valves from the respective receptacles to the flexible exhaust air pipes 23 and 23 and common exhaust pipe 24;

The construction of the invention having been described, its operation is as follows: With the parts in the position shown in the drawing, which position represents the receptacle 6 filled with water in its lowermost position, and the empty receptacle 7 elevated; that end of the lever 26 bearing on the stud 28 carried by the receptacle 7 is raised and the lip 29 on the opposite end of said lever in its downward movement strikes the curved finger of the latch 30 and pushes thev latter back until the lip passes below said curved finger. The latch, under the force of its spring, moves forward to engage the lip and hold it and the receptacle in its lowered position. This movement of the receptacle 6 lowers the valve 22 and raises the valve 22 causing the respective pairs of toggle levers 31 and 32 to close the former valve and open the latter one so that all air in the receptacle 7 can escape therethrough to the pipe 24, whereas the valve 22 being closed, the contents of the receptacle 6 will not be able to pass said valve.

The movement of the lever 26 rocked the three way valve into position to admit compressed air from the pipe 18 through the flexible pipe 19, T coupling 21 and the short pipe 20 into the receptacle 6, driving the water out through the flexible pipe 14 at the bottom into the stand pipe and from thence to its destination. The movement of the three Way valve to open communication with the flexible pipe 19 shut ofl the air from the pipe 19 and receptacle 7. It will now be clear that as compressed air cannot pass from the pipe 19 through the valve 22 nor can it enter the receptacle 7 by way of flexible pipe 19 it must perforce exert all its pressure on the water in the receptacle 6. At the same time, .the outflowing water, passing freely through the check valve 12 on the receptacle 6, is prevented from entering the receptacle 7 by the closing of a similar check valve on the bottom of said receptacle and it is therefore compelled to enter the stand p The receptacle 7, because of the large inlet opening 8, fills rapidly with water, more rapidly than the receptacle 6 can be emptied, therefore, as soon as it'is full of water it drops to its lowermost position, closing valve 22 and preventing water passing into the exhaust pipe. Water may flow continuously or intermittently from the receptacle 6, but as soon as it is empty or substantially so, its buoyancy causes it to rise, and, overcoming the tension of the spring latch 30, changes the position of the lever 26 and reverses that of the three way valve giving a clear passage for compressed air to enter the receptacle 7. The valve 22 is opened by the upward movement of the receptacle 6 and the air contained therein escapes through the exhaust pipe 23, water entering the receptacle at the same time from below.

It is to be understood that the accompanying drawing is only illustrative, and the proportions and arrangement of parts therein shown may be varied to a greater or lesser extent provided such changes do not depart from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of receptacles adapted to rise and fall alternately, a compressed air valve, a flexible pipe between each receptacle and said valve,

means operated by the movement of said receptacle to change the direction of flow of compressed air from said valve, a valved opening in each receptacle for the admission of water, a flexible water outlet pipe leading from each receptacle, air outlet valves movable with said receptacle, and means for alternately opening and closing said outlet valves as the receptacles rise and fall.

2. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of alternating vertically movable receptacles,

valved water inlet openings and outlet pipes at the bottom of each receptacle, a compressed air valve, pipe connections from said valve to each receptacle, means operated by the rise of said receptacles for'operating the air inlet valve, an air outlet valve fixed to each receptacle, means for opening and closing said valves with the movement of the receptacles, and automatic means for locking said receptacles in their lower positions.

3. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of alternating vertically movable receptacles, water inlets at the bottom thereof, and valved water outlet pipes also leading from the bottom, a compressed air valve for admitting air to said receptacles, an air outlet valve fixed to and movable with each receptacle, a

lever attached at its endsv to said receptacles and centrally to said air valve for changing the direction of flow of the compressed air, and automatic means for alternately engaging the ends of said lever for holding the receptacles in operative position while being filled and emptied respectively.

4. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of receptacles, adapted to be alternately raised and lowered to be filled with and emptied of water, a three way valve attached to a compressed air pipe and to each receptacle, a re cking lever fixed at its center to the plug of said three-way valve, and its ends adapted to be lifted alternately by the lowermost receptacle when it rises and turn the valve plug to change the direction of flow of compressed air, a latch at each side of the elevator frame for alternately holding said receptacle fixed while being emptied, and a valved air outlet pipe attached to each receptacle.

5. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of receptacles adapted to be alternately raised and lowered, means for admitting water into and out'of said receptacle, a compressed air valve mechanism for alternately admitting air to said receptacles, an air outlet valve fixed to each receptacle and connected to an exhaust pipe, an arm attached to each outlet valve, and a similar arm pivoted to each of said valve arms and to the frame of the apparatus.

6. Combined in a water elevator, a pair of receptacles adapted to move alternately in vertical direction and to be filled with and emptied of water, a valve attached'to a compressed air pipe and flexibly piped to each of In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing as said receptacles, an air exhaust leading from my own, I have hereto affiXed my signature each receptacle, a lever centrally attached to in the presence of two Witnesses.

said air Valve and adapted to engage a recep- MILO R. SHOURDS.

tacle near each end, lips formed on the ends Witnesses: Of said lever, and a latch adapted to engage E. E. MOLAREN, alternately with each lip. 1 J. R. MCLAREN. 

